Given that Van Zant is still active musically, albeit in a more low key manner, it is a shame that he could not have contributed to a couple of songs here for old times' sake - but Milestone is not a bad album despite the Van Zant-shaped hole, and Barnes does give him a shout-out in the CD's booklet. Barnes essentially drove .38 Special for years, though, and there are some classic-sounding AOR tracks here and a few harder rockers - with regular collaborator Jim Peterik (The Ides of March; Survivor; Pride of Lions) having co-written many of the songs here as well as co-producing the album. There is perhaps less traditional southern rock here, with the album leaning more towards the smooth, but the first couple of tracks are certainly more harder rocking. Kicking off with the riffy So Much So Right, a song which I can really see Van Zant singing, the album hits hard immediately. Barnes' voice is certainly a bit grittier than it used to be, so he adds an edge to the track, whilst the bluesy, slightly southern-sounding riff is instantly memorable with its snaking groove and punchy drum backing. This is largely a guitar-driven album, with Barnes and Riggs riffing away during the verses - but Capps does add some electric piano counterpoints throughout, with the chorus in particular given depth by the keyboards. Call-and-response vocal harmonies are utilised during the chorus, too, which allows the band to add some melodic counters to Barnes' main vocal melodies - whilst a brief piano break and a later guitar solo add some fire to the piece. The song does not lean into the band's southern rock sound as much as it might - but the main riff is pretty weighty, and there is a fairly organic sound here thanks to the electric piano. Van Zant would have likely added more authenticity to the piece in truth - but Barnes does a decent job here, although he shines more on later pieces. Slightly Controversial, which acted as one of the album's singles, in another pretty hard rocking piece - with Pat Monahan (Train) duetting with Barnes. I know nothing about Monahan and Train, but I know that the two bands have toured together recently - so I imagine that bringing Monahan in here was an attempt to recreate the band's duet approach of the past. The song is built around another hooky chorus, with brash, stabbing guitar riffing backing Barnes and Monahan singing together. The two singers do not sound hugely different, but there are still points of difference - and the chorus harmonies work nicely. The bluesiness of the previous song remains, too, and is especially showcased during a slow-burning guitar solo - whilst the organic approach is also retained, with electric piano again doing a lot of background lifting. Lead single All I Haven't Said returns to the band's melodic rock past, though, and Barnes really comes into his own here. This is a smooth AOR piece which recalls the band's mid-1980s sound nicely, with jangly guitars opening things up - and slow-burning verses which feature slightly southern clean guitar melodies, washes of gentle keyboards, and Barnes' plaintive vocals. He does a decent job on the rockers, but he was always better suited for songs like this - and he still maintains a pleasing tone despite his voice having aged. The emotive verses ooze out of the speakers, but it is the chorus where the song comes alive - with the opening guitar chords returning alongside some old-school vocal harmonies. Subtle Hammond organ is thrown in as the song progresses, with Capps adding some busy playing behind a later guitar solo - and the hooks throughout are certainly a pleasing throwback to .38 Special's peak.
The Main Thing is another rocker, opening with Moffatt's drumming - before the band is counted in and a pretty snarling riff kicks in, which whips up a nice groove early on. Whilst this song is more of a rocker, though, it also showcases some AOR traits. The verses are a bit smoother and more AOR in tone, whilst the chorus returns to the opening riff to create some strong, southern grooves and some really hooky vocal refrains. This was not a song which stood out to me on my first listen to the album, but over time it has become a real favourite. The mix of the band's different sides comes together nicely here - with both AOR and southern rock on display. Capps also gets to show off a lot here, with a good mix of organ and synth work - whilst snarling guitar playing from both Barnes and Riggs ensure that the track is full of energy. Later reprises of the chorus, with busy keyboard and guitar melodies underneath the vocal hooks keep the song interesting until the end - and this is another track I could have seen Van Zant singing on, perhaps taking over during the heavier choruses. Long Long Train returns to a slower, more melodic sound - and it is notable given that Barnes co-wrote it with Randy Bachman (The Guess Who; Brave Belt; Bachman-Turner Overdrive; Ironhorse) rather than Peterik. It certainly contains a lot of classic .38 Special AOR tropes from the 1980s, but there is also something of a modern country vibe at times - although this is not the prominent flavour. Acoustic guitars are ever-present here, adding depth and creating that country feel, whilst the main guitar leads which are often returned to throughout have something of a country feel as they cut through what is otherwise quite a plaintive piece. Barnes' smooth voice really suits the song, and he sounds great here, whilst the band add subtle harmonies through what is quite a smouldering chorus. There is a sadness to the track, but the guitar melodies are easy on the ear - and the chorus really gets under the skin after a couple of listens. It has become another favourite here, largely as it harks back to some of the band's older slower moments - but also thanks to some powerful lead guitar moments and a atmospheric depth thanks to Capps' keyboard playing. Looking for My Life returns to a more muscular sound, but like The Main Thing the song is a good mix of both a melodic and a riffier sound. It is not as hooky as many of the best track here, but it has certainly grown on me since I first heard it. It seems at first as if the song is going to be quite smooth, with clean guitar melodies setting an early tone during the verses - but as it moves forward it gets faster and spikier, with a punchy pre-chorus section seeing bigger drumming and guitar riffing. This culminates in a chorus which is a mix of both sounds - it sounds harder rocker overall but it is also smooth in tone. Barnes' vocals here are not the best, though, with a couple of moments sounding a little ragged - and perhaps this another song where Van Zant could have helped out a little. The guitar solo is great, though, and overall the song is solid - even if it is not one of the standout cuts here.
Making Up for Lost Time is one of the standouts, though, and, like All I Haven't Said, it sounds like a real throwback to the band's peak era. It is a great melodic rocker, with a soaring chorus that screams mid-1980s, whilst there is still a surprising dose of southern groove throughout. Despite the verses being fairly laid back, the spiky guitar riffing creates a southern rock feel throughout - whilst a later mix of 1980s clean guitar melodies and the aforementioned riffing is a big reminder of the core sound with which the band previously found so much success. It is the chorus where everything comes together, though, with one of those soaring melody lines which grabs hold from the off. Barnes still sounds great singing songs like this - and the band harmonise well with him to create a big, enveloping sound. Another big guitar solo is also welcome - and this is a song which would have likely gone down well in the 1980s as part of a super smooth album such as 1986's Strength in Numbers. The final two songs slow things down quite significantly - with Windows of Memories being a swinging ballad with plenty of acoustic guitar depth, chiming clean guitar melodies, and some piano from Capps. The swinging groove from the rhythm section does give the song a bit of an edge, though, and it does not sound like a typical slower piece as a result. This is another song which has a little bit of a modern country feel at times, too, with this groove and the acoustic guitar depth adding to such. Barnes sings the song well, his smooth tone suiting the swinging grooves nicely, whilst there are plenty of harmonies throughout to ensure that the song sounds a little bigger in places. A pretty lengthy and emotive guitar solo is later thrown in, too, and it works well to build on the song's overall vibe - and I really like how the guitar solo extends into the final chorus, with guitar leads acting as punctuation to each of Barnes' vocal lines. The album then comes to a close with the acoustic The Look - a very simple song which essentially just features Barnes' voice, some acoustic guitar, and some subtle keyboards. It is the only song here which Barnes did not write, either, as it was solely written by Peterik. It lacks much of Peterik's usual bombast as a songwriter, but Barnes' brings it to life nicely with his smooth voice. There are a couple of moments on this album where Barnes' age shows, but he shines here - which is good given how exposed his voice is throughout. I was not sure how to feel about this song at first, as ending an album with a slow number does not always work well, but The Look has grown on me in a surprising way - and given that it is quite short I think it does actually work well as an album closer. Perhaps having two slower tracks together at the end was less wise, though, so I would have perhaps moved Windows of Memories to earlier in the album - and had one of the rockers before The Look. Regardless of this, though, Milestone is a very solid album from a band that had not put anything out for 21 years - and it is an album which continues to get better each time I hear it. It is never going to rival albums like 1981's Wild-Eyed Southern Boys or 1982's Special Forces, but then it was never going to - and it is probably a stronger album than Drivetrain which I do not remember sticking with me all that much outside of a handful of songs. Whether or not this album leads to a new era of creativity for the band remains to be seen, but it is just welcome to have something new from .38 Special after so many years - and there is plenty to like within.
The album was released on 19th September 2025 via .38 Special Records. Below is the band's promotional video for All I Haven't Said.
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